Italy is quite famous for her cheeses and several of them are integral to Italian cuisine. In fact, Parmesan and Mozzarella have both become staples of fridges the world over and can be found in all sorts of dishes.
Another popular Italian cheese is Pecorino, a cheese made from 100% sheep’s milk. There are six varieties have received Protected Designation of Origin status with Pecorino Romano being one of the most ancient types of cheese and one of the most famous outside of Italy.
The cheese can only be produced on the islands of Sardinia, in Lazio and in the Tuscan Province of Grosseto and has a history that dates back to the Roman times – as the name might suggest – when it was a staple of the diet of soldiers at war. The cheese is even mentioned in the writings of the likes of Pliny the Elder, Hippocrates and Columella.
Another popular Italian cheese is Pecorino, a cheese made from 100% sheep’s milk. There are six varieties have received Protected Designation of Origin status with Pecorino Romano being one of the most ancient types of cheese and one of the most famous outside of Italy.
The cheese can only be produced on the islands of Sardinia, in Lazio and in the Tuscan Province of Grosseto and has a history that dates back to the Roman times – as the name might suggest – when it was a staple of the diet of soldiers at war. The cheese is even mentioned in the writings of the likes of Pliny the Elder, Hippocrates and Columella.
Often used as an alternative to Parmesan, it is a great cheese for grating over dishes and pairs well with red wine and light beers. Traditional methods are still used in the production of Pecorino and there is a pretty strong Tuscan tradition in the production of a wide range of local varieties such as the fragrant Abbucciato of Casentino and the “spicy” Il Grande Vecchio di Montefollonico of Siena. There is also variety in the flavours due to the milk used such as Pecorino della Costa Apuana, which comes from the coast near Massa e Carrara and used milk of the local "Massese" sheep, and Pecorino della Garfagnana, which is a prized cheese in Tuscany and comes from sheep in the hills outside of Lucca.
There are lots of places to go to try the cheeses but a couple of good examples are: Fratelli Sanna in Monteroni d’Arbia, Siena, where they have been making cheese since 1986 and you can enjoy a tasting of 5-6 cheeses, bread, local wine and lunch; and Tenuta Vitereta in Arezzo, where you can try the Abbucciato style of Pecorino and their own wines and olive oil.
There are lots of places to go to try the cheeses but a couple of good examples are: Fratelli Sanna in Monteroni d’Arbia, Siena, where they have been making cheese since 1986 and you can enjoy a tasting of 5-6 cheeses, bread, local wine and lunch; and Tenuta Vitereta in Arezzo, where you can try the Abbucciato style of Pecorino and their own wines and olive oil.
Just find a vacation rental in Tuscany and discover this and the many other culinary delights that are waiting to be explored all across the region.
